20 Essential Works of Asian-American Literature

In spite of recent efforts to diversify the literary canon in high schools and colleges across the nation, much of the curriculum still comes packed with the frequent “old, dead white men” criticism. Such words may seem cliche by this point, but they do bring up an excellent point. Americans of Latin, Asian, African and Indigenous descent still struggle to have their voices heard amongst the glut of European poems, short stories, novels and plays. Just because things have gotten better does not mean there isn’t still a ways to go before these minority authors receive equal recognition.

Within the context of this article, “Asian” encompasses the entire continent rather than the more colloquial interpretation, “East Asia only.” Even then, this showcases only a small sliver of the peoples, perspectives and practices hailing from the nations at hand. Consider this list more of a primer, a stepping stone towards further exploration rather than a definitive category_ide. Plenty of other excellent books and authors did not make this list due to space and time constraints, but they certainly warrant attention.

1. American-Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang: This Eisner Award-winner receives plenty of accolades from librarians and teachers, making it an excellent introduction to Asian-American literature for the younger set. As the title implies, the main story revolves around a young man coming to terms with his duel identity, punctuated scenes from the classic Chinese tale Journey to the West. One of the more poignant moments involves his meeting with a cousin exhibiting “Yellow Peril” stereotypes.
2. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan: Probably one of the most celebrated Asian-American novels ever written, Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club applies tenets of Chinese culture to universal themes of family and the search for individuality without compromising heritage. It’s a beautifully written journey through four families and the unique experiences that lead them to the United States, richly textured, detailed, insightful and a touch provocative.
3. The Golden Mountain Chronicles by Laurence Yep: Prolific author Laurence Yep earned a Newberry Honor for two of the nine books that comprise his epic series, suitable for younger audiences. Beginning in 1849 and stretching until 1995, he weaves an intricate story tracing how one Chinese family eventually made their way to the United States. Starting with the experiences of Cassia Young and her village’s constant battles against violence, poverty, famine and issues percolating within the clan.
4. Havan by Susham Bedi: Known as The Fire Sacrifice in English, this Hindi novel channels many of the author’s (and her community’s) attempts to eke out a comfortable life in America without losing sight of Hindu tradition. Central character Gudda, a widow, must navigate these challenges as she raises her children in a new country overflowing with new concepts and stimuli that sometimes endanger her core value system.
5. Eat a Bowl of Tea by Louis Chu: Louis Chu’s only novel holds the honor of being one of the first novels to genuinely explore the Chinese-American experience. Published in 1961, it opened up the literary world’s eyes and challenged them to confront the issues unique to his peoples as they tried assimilating into the dominant culture. At the center lay a newly married couple and their fathers, illustrating the differences between experiences in the original homeland and in the adopted homeland.
6. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini: Considering The United States’ involvement in Afghanistan, American readers should pick up this extremely popular book for some incredible insight into its recent history. Covering the collapse of the monarchy, the war against the Soviets, mass emigration and the Taliban’s ascent to power, it also offers up a power glimpse into the country’s socioeconomic hierarchy and cultural mores as well.
7. Miracle Fruit by Aimee Nezhukumatathil: Poetry lovers in search of something lyrical, haunting and sensual should pick up this acclaimed collection by the exceptional, incomparable Aimee Nezhukumatathil. Her lush homage to food, love, animals and landscapes extend far beyond this one volume, though it did earn an impressive array of awards and nominations — including the Tupelo Press Prize, the ForeWord Book of the Year (Poetry), the Global Filipino Award, the Asian American Literary Award and the Glaskow Prize.
8. Watermark edited by Luu Truong Khoi, Barbara Tran, and Monique T.D. Truong: Presented by the Asian-American Writer’s Workshop, the anthology Watermark brings together some of the best Vietnamese-American poetry and prose to come out of it. Highlights include “Fritz Gatman” by Linh Dinh, “Grandma’s Tales” by Andrew Lam and “Mangoes” by Christian Langworthy, though the entire work peers into the cultures of Vietnam and the United States from a variety of different perspectives. One should read the entire work rather than a few selections because of this.
9. The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston: Maxine Hong Kingston presents her memoirs in the style of creative nonfiction, detailing her life and experiences as the daughter of Chinese immigrants. Published in 1975, many consider it a solidly feminist work as well, because she fearlessly tackles serious issues of gender alongside the heavy ruminations on ethnicity and ethnic identity. Kingston also interweaves traditional stories in with her comparatively more contemporary autobiography.
10. Red Earth and Pouring Rain by Vikram Chandra: This impressive debut novel earned both the Commonwealth Writers Prize and the David Higham Prize for Fiction and inspired a heated bidding war once author Vikram Chandra announced a later work, Sacred Games. James Skinner’s autobiography sparked an imaginative tale blending Indian history, Hindu beliefs, poetry, colonialism and much, much more — many consider it a contemporary interpretation of the beloved classic A Thousand and One Nights.
11. Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri: The Pulitzer Prize Committee awarded the short story collection Interpreter of Maladies in 2000. Jhumpa Lahiri used the work as a means of getting in touch with her Bengali heritage — a difficult task considering she herself was born and raised in the United States. Every story features a different cast of characters, each delving into certain aspects of Indian or Indian-American cultural mores, creating a cycle of themes and images as one of the few commonalities.
12. Among the White Moon Faces by Shirley Geok-lin Lim: Growing up in Malaysia, Shirley Geok-lin Lim dealt with extreme violence, domestic abuse, poverty, starvation and other human rights atrocities — all of which are related directly in her memoir. The harsh, inhumane treatment of women most especially stands out as one of the most disturbing elements found here, but readers worldwide need to know of the atrocities committed elsewhere if humanity ever hopes to improve itself.
13. Wild Meat and the Bully Burgers by Lois-Ann Yamanaka: Japanese-Hawaiian culture takes center stage in a post-World War II bildungsroman. Yamanaka elected to write in both English and Hawaiian Pidgin to heighten the sense of realism as protagonist Lovey Nariyoshi comes of age during an age when the Japanese dealt with scorn and considerable discrimination — regardless of whether or not they agreed with the Axis Powers. Even then, though, much of her struggle involves inward battles and fights with her family.
14. Dogeaters by Jessica Hagedorn: Perhaps unsurprisingly, writer, artist, performer and musician Jessica Hagedorn stirred up quite a bit of controversy over the title of her novel. However, the decision came about as a means of highlighting Filipino sociopolitical and socioeconomic issues that contribute to a distinct — albeit unofficial — caste system. Set in the 1950s, the book follows a plethora of characters and sheds light on the Philippines as it gradually falls under “Western” influence.
15. Comfort Women by Nora Okja Keller: Both Comfort Women and its sequel Fox Girl confront issues of sexual slavery in Japanese military camps during World War II. Told from the perspective of a young girl forced into servitude, the haunting novel introduces readers to such harrowing experiences — one that women worldwide still suffer even today. Keller earned high acclaim for bravely discussing such a delicate, explicit topic, including an American Book Award and Elliott Cades Award.
16. The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran: After Shakespeare and Lao Tzu, Kahlil Gibran holds the distinction of being the third best-selling poet ever. His collection of lyrical essays debuted to lukewarm reviews, but still earned him a nice following all the same. In the 1960s, the counterculture movement celebrated the 26 philosophical stories ruminating on everything from love and marriage to clothing and houses.
17. The Watcher of Waipuna: by Gary Pak: Fulbright Fellow Gary Pak’s body of work peers into the experience of Asian immigrants (and their descendents) who call Hawaii home. Here, he reaches deep into the social, political and economic components of the island state and creates a compelling look into the lives of Korean-Americans and Americans alike. This work earned him the Elliott Cades Award in 1992.
18. Songs My Mother Taught Me by Wakako Yamauchi: This compilation of Wakako Yamauchi’s plays, short stories and memoirs brings together most of the influential Japanese-American writer’s oeuvre. Her play “And the Soul Shall Dance” particularly stands out, and it solidified her spot as one of the first Asian voices on the American stage. She pulled from her past imprisonment in an internment camp and wrote an incredibly provocative play that the Los Angeles-based East West Players debuted to great acclaim.
19. Clear Light of Day by Anita Desai: One of writer Anita Desai’s three Booker Prize nominees, Clear Light of Day takes place in Old Delhi and follows the adulthoods and childhoods of several different family members. Here, the setting itself serves as something of a character as well, directly impacting the course of the Das’ existence. The author considers it her most autobiographical work.
20. Taipei People by Pai Hsien-yung: Literary critics the world over cite Taipei People as one of the quintessential examples of Chinese modernism. Fourteen short stories intertwine to illustrate the factors causing mainland Chinese to flee to Taiwan during the Civil War and War of Resistance. Most of them share a sort of cultural and mental disconnect with their newly-adopted home, forging the central, broader concept tying together each tale.